Lang Lang, Perlman featured in Arsht Center’s new classical series

By Lawrence A. Johnson

Lang Lang will appear at the Arsht Center March 29

The Arsht Center has revealed details of its new classical and dance series, which will present Lang Lang, Itzhak Perlman, and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and will be bankrolled by two of Miami’s most high-profile cultural entities.

Designed to fill the void left by the failure of the Concert Association of Florida last spring, the John S. and James L. Knight Masterworks Season will debut cautiously in 2009-2010 with just four classical and three dance events in its inaugural year.

The Sanford and Dolores Ziff Classical Music Series opens Dec. 16 with Pinchas Zukerman leading the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. The violinist-conductor and cellist Amanda Forsyth will be the soloists in a program of Haydn, Bruch and Tchaikovsky.

Violinist Itzhak Perlman will perform a recital Jan. 12, and Leonard Slatkin will conduct the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Feb. 14 in Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 and Barber’s Cello Concerto with Sol Gabetta as soloist. The season will conclude March 29 with the celebrated pianist Lang Lang appearing with the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra, conducted by Christoph Eschenbach.

The Signature Dance Series opens Dec. 5 and 6 with the Batsheva Ensemble from Israel, followed by the Joffrey Ballet March 26 and 27 and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater May 20-23.

The new initiative is being funded by a $500,000 five-year pledge from Sanford and Dolores Ziff, a $200,000 challenge grant from the Knight Foundation and $80,000 in additional funding from something called the Classical Encore Circle, likely a premium-paying circle of wealthy patrons who get first crack at tickets and other benefits.

No information was provided on ticket prices or the date subscriptions go on sale. (The center’s press release states “soon.”) One must go to the Arsht Center’s website (www.arshtcenter.org.) and sign up on an email list “to receive notice.”